Perfectly Chewy Anzac Biscuits

It’s certainly the time of year for it – Anzac Day is celebrated annually here to commemorate and honour the sacrifice of Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women who gave their lives at Gallipoli – but Anzac Day is for all war veterans.

Cuppa tea for dunking

My Dad is one, but doesn’t like to identify himself as such. He was in Vietnam in the RAEME (engineering/mechanical) corps for about 12 months. As such he didn’t experience the front line but rather served behind the scenes. This is something I am extremely grateful for – so many of those men came back haunted and damaged.

Enough for everyone

According to my source, during World War I, Anzac biscuits were “baked by anxious wives and mothers, packed in food parcels, and sent to Australian soldiers in the trenches. The aim was to make biscuits that were nutritious and that would survive the long sea journey to Gallipoli and the Western Front”. Apparently the rations they were given were so hard as to be inedible, so the mothers and wives stepped in to create a bikkie that their men could enjoy!

Tea with biscuits

However you like them – crunchy or soft – Anzac biscuits are here to stay… compared to much of the world, in Australia we enjoy relative peace and safety, and can thank our Defence Forces, both past and present for this blessing.

Hi Alison.
Four of us have just enjoyed Anzac biscuits made from this recipe. They were made in a joint effort by Geoff and myself: Geoff did most of the work. I rolled them and put them on oven trays.
We all agree that they are “perfectly chewy”. They’re just right.
Jan.